Getting the Ground Rules Down:

Coalition airpower and ground-power experts in Iraq came together earlier this month to better synchronize air-ground operations, according to a March 17 report out of Baghdad. The Air Synchronization Conference, working mostly at a classified level, discussed shortening the kill chain, getting the most out of intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance assets, and improving force protection. Before getting down to brass tacks, however, the experts had to “establish a baseline understanding of terms and capabilities,” said Lt. Col. Matt Isler, an air liaison officer and conference project officer. This was actually the third such meeting, with some 100 participants. There were 12 at the first effort. With so many more participants, said Isler, the meeting evolved on the last day into three breakout sessions to work on specific problems that produced a range of findings, some of which already have been “pushed” into planning operations. (Baghdad report by Capt. Paula Kurtz)